A trial of the new-church way in New-England and in old ... by that…A tryall of the nevv-church vvay in New-England and in old ... by that…

Answer 7. Consideration.

That our practise may not be censured as novel and singular, give us leave to produce a President of the like care observed and approved by public countenance of State in the days of Edward 6. of blessed and famous memory, who in the year 1550. granted Johannes Alasco a learned Noble man of Poland under the great Seal of England, liberty to gather a Church of strangers in London, and to order themselves according as they should find to be most agreeable to the Scriptures. Among other godly orders established in that Church, that which concerned the Administration of Baptism to prevent the profanation of it we will repeat in Alascoes own words. Baptism in our Church (saith he) is administered in the public Assembly of the Church after the public Sermon: for seeing Baptism doth so belong to the whole Church that none ought to be driven thence, which is a member of the Church, nor to be admitted to it who is not a member of it, truly it is equal that that should be performed publicly in the Assembly of the whole Church, which belongs to the whole Church in common. Again, he addeth; Now seeing our Churches are by Gods blessing so established by the Kings Majesty, that they may be as it were one parish of strangers dispersed throughout the whole City, or one body corporate (as it is called in the Kings grant) and yet all strangers do not join themselves to our Church, yea there are those who while they avoid all Churches, will pretend to the English Churches that they are joined with us, and to us that they are joined to the English Churches, and so do abuse both them and us, lest the English Churches and the Ministers thereof should be deceived by the impostures of such men (and that under colour of our Churches) we do baptize their Infants alone who have adjoined themselves to our Churches by public confession of their faith, and observation of Ecclesiastical discipline.

THat our practise may not be censured as novell and singular, give us leave to produce a President of the like care observed and approved by publick countenance of State in the dayes of Edward 6. of blessed and famous memory, who in the yeare 1550. granted Johannes Alasco a learned Noble man of Poland under the great Seale of England, libertie to gather a Church of strangers in London, and to order themselves according as they should finde to be most agreeable to the Scriptures. Among other godly orders established in that Church, that which concerned the Administration of Baptisme to prevent the prophanation of it we will repeate in Alascoes owne words. Baptisme in our Church (saith he) is administred in the publique Assembly of the Church after the publique Sermon: for seeing Baptisme doth so belong to the whole Church that none ought to be driven thence, which is a member of the Church, nor to be admitted to it who is not a member of it, truely it is equall that that should be performed publiquely in the Assembly of the whole Church, which belongs to the whole Church in common. Againe, he addeth; Now seeing our Churches are by Gods blessing so established by the Kings Majestie, that they may be as it were one parish of strangers dispersed throughout the whole Citie, or one body corporate (as it is called in the Kings grant) and yet all strangers doe not joyne themselves to our Church, yea there are those who while they avoyde all Churches, will pretend to the English Churches that they are joyned with us, and to us that they are joyned to the English Churches, and so doe abuse both them and us, lest the English Churches and the Ministers thereof should be deceived by the impostures of such men (and that under colour of our Churches) wee doe baptize their Infants alone who have adjoyned themselves to our Churches by publique confession of their faith, and observation of Ecclesiasticall discipline.